Woman pleads to manslaughter in N.J. fire that killed her boyfriend

For the death of her lover, who was retrieved by firefighters from a blazing house in Trenton in October 2022, a Trenton woman entered a guilty plea to manslaughter on Tuesday.

According to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, Shameka Blackwell, 48, will be sentenced in Superior Court of Mercer County in late August. The maximum penalty for the second-degree crime is ten years in state prison.

After Brian Wharton, 57, was killed in a fire on Summer Street, off Calhoun Street, on October 23, 2022, Blackwell was first charged with murder, criminal murder, and arson.

According to authorities, Wharton and Blackwell were dating, and police had been at the house for a domestic dispute just before the fire.

Firefighters from Trenton discovered a strong fire at the house just after midnight, with flames blazing from both windows on both floors. Firefighters entered the flaming house after receiving a tip that someone might be inside. They discovered Wharton on the first floor and heroically tried to save his life.

According to the fire brigade at the time, they managed to bring him out, but he was gravely hurt and passed away shortly after.

A few days after the incident, Blackwell was charged by detectives and has been detained in the Mercer County jail pending trial.

Blackwell’s attorney was the Office of the Public Defender. A request for comment Tuesday was not immediately answered by the office.

In his obituary, Wharton’s relatives described him as a helpful man who often said, “I got it!” When he passed away, he was employed by Trane, a manufacturer.

According to court documents, Patricia Wharton, Wharton’s spouse and executor of his estate, sued Blackwell for wrongful death in late 2024, alleging that Blackwell caused Wharton’s anguish and suffering by setting the fire.

A recent default judgment against Blackwell was gained by Patricia Wharton, and it is currently awaiting a second hearing in Mercer County civil court.